Village is between a rock and a bypass

SILVERSTONE residents are being asked if they would put up with 220 new homes in order to get more primary school places.

Proposals by Barwood Estates to build 220 homes between the village and the A43 will be discussed at next week’s Silverstone Parish Council annual meeting. Previous applications for homes on the same land were fought off by village residents. But developers have now come up with plan which leaves a green space between the village and A43 with allotments and community orchard, and have also said they will provide a ‘significant and appropriate’ contribution to education facilities.

Steve Capewell, chairman of the parish council, said they had long considered that any development of the land between the village and the A43 bypass would open the door to further ‘infill’ developments which were outside the confines of the village. But with the village primary school reporting a shortage of places Mr Capewell said it was right to ask the village. as a whole, what it wants. Referendum slips were included in the latest edition of the village magazine and Mr Capewell hopes everyone in the village will respond.

He said: “It is a difficult decision. We know about the Silverstone Masterplan, we know thousands of jobs are coming to the area and we know Silverstone is a sort after location to live. Some people believe it would ruin the village. But it might give us the infrastructure we need. So the debate needs to be had.”